Pencil-sharpener



(No Model.)

J. L. HALL. PENCIL HARPENER.

No. 521,813. Patented June 12, 1894.

NITE STATE .ATEN'r JAMES L. HALL, OF KINGSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PENClL-SHARPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 521,313, dated June 12,1894. Application filed February 26, 1894:. Serial No. 501,526. (Nomodel.)

This invention has for its object the production of a simple andeffective apparatus for sharpening pencils, whereby the pencil may beconveniently and rapidly sharpened without danger of breakage.

In accordance therewith, my invention in a pencil sharpener consists ofa reciprocable cutting blade, and means to direct its movement, combinedwith a yielding bed located beneath the path of movement of the blade,to support the pencil beneath its point and rearwardly therefrom whilebeing sharpened, sub.- stantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a pencil sharpener embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof, onan enlarged scale, and Fig. 3, a similar View of a modification to bedescribed.

I have herein shown my invention mounted upon a base a of wood, metal orother suitable material, having a chip trough a at its front. The baseis cut away centrally to leave preferably an inclined seat I) and anupturned lower end I), concaved at its inner side, as at b to receivethe convex end of a pencil supporting bed, herein shown as a rectangularblock 0, of preferably yielding material, as for instance, rubber orleather. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper surface of the bed 0inclines from front to rear, and it is slightly chamfered at 0',adjacent its lower convex end. Suitable projections or ears cl areerected upon or form a part of the base a, at the sides of the seat I)and inclosing the yielding bed 0, as best shown in Fig. 1; Theprojections d have a track or groove d formed in the inner face of each,see dotted lines in Fig. 1, and at an angle of about forty-five degreeswith the base at. These tracks or grooves d are adapted to be entered byand form guides for trunnions e, see dotted lines Fig. 1, projectingportion to be cut.

from the sides of a cutting blade 6, shown only in Fig. 1, the bladehaving a bent handle 6 to be grasped by the operator to move the bladeback and forth above the bed cl, the

curvature of the handle preventing contact with a bridge 9. o bedescribed.

In order to adjust the inclination of the bed i 0 according to the pointto be given the pencil, I have interposed a wedge-like block f,

shown only in Fig. 2, between the seat I) and the wood from the point ofthe pencil, which is rotated from time to time to present a fresh Byvarying the angle of the bed, a long or short point may be obtained, andby varying the pressure on the blade handle a great variety in the formof point may be had,suitable for any work, the blade e turning more orless on its trunnions e. The grooves d serve to support the blade in itsmovements,and to guide it, While permitting variations in the path ofits cutting edge, as described.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the track 01* is curved at (1' toalter the path of the blade automatically irrespective of the movementimparted to it by the operator, tending to give a concave orscoop-shaped point, and preferably the handle of the blade will in suchinstance be made straight, as at e", see dotted lines Fig. 1, saidhandleresting upon and moving over a bridge 9 connecting the upper ends of theprojections d.

A washer w of rubber or other material may be slipped over the pencil P,as shown in Fig. 1, to rest against the bridge and prevent forwardlongitudinal movement of thepencil-as it is sharpened.

By the apparatus shown,and described, a great variety of points may bemade, long or short, or concaved, the lead being chiselpointed orrounded.

It is obvious that the edge of the blade may be inclined to give ashearing cut, or the same result may be obtained by moving the bladehandle to the right or left during its cutting movement.

My invention is not restricted to the exact construction or arrangementherein shown, as

the same may be altered without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim 1. In a pencil sharpener, a reciprocable cutting blade, andmeans to direct its movement,

combined with ayieldiug bed located beneath the path of movement of theblade, to support the pencil beneath its point and rearwardly therefromwhile being sharpened, substantlally as described.

2. In a pencil sharpener, an adjustable bed to support the pencil to besharpened, combined with a reciprocable cutting blade movable above thebed, and guides for and in which the blade is pivotally supported, substantially as described.

3. In a pencil sharpener, an elastic bed to support the pencil to besharpened, and means to alter the angle of said bed, combined with acutting blade adapted to be moved above the bed, trunnions on said bladeto enter guides and pivotally sustain the knife in its movement, andguides at the sides of the bed substantially as described.

4:. In a pencil sharpener, an elastic bed to support the pencil, andguides at the sides of and inclined with relation to said bed, combinedwith a cutting blade movable above the bed, andtrunnions on said bladeto enter the guides and pivotally support the blade,

. substantially as described.

JAMES L. HALL.

Witnesses:

JOHN G. EDWARDS, FREDERICK L. EMnnY.

